Streets reopen in Burbank after diesel fuel spill is cleaned up
Street closures in Burbank that were prompted by a 150-gallon diesel spill this morning have reopened and traffic is “returning to normal,” according to police.
Burbank police closed streets around Alameda at Buena Vista Street just before 8 a.m. to clean up the spill. Los Angeles County HazMat crews were called in to assist after authorities discovered that about 36 gallons of fuel had entered the county storm drain system, creating the threat of fire or an explosion.
At about 6:45 a.m., a truck was delivering fuel to a Los Angeles fire station when its “mechanical drive shaft broke, causing damage to the off load pipe that unloads fuel from the truck,” Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.
The damage was between the tank and shut off valve and the driver was unable to control the fuel that began to leak out, Ryburn said.
The driver pulled over and called police when he realized there was a problem, Ryburn said.
About 150 gallons of fuel was lost, with another 3,500 gallons transferred to another truck, Ryburn said.
About 36 gallons of unaccounted-for fuel had entered the storm drains, Ryburn said, prompting the prolonged clean up process.
-- Jason Wells and Maria Hsin, Times Community News
Twitter: @mariahsin